SARATOGA SPRINGS >> Saratoga Bridges, a local community resource for people with disabilities and their families, received three grants recently from the trustees of NYSARC, the New York state chapter of ARC; Saratoga Casino and Raceway Foundation; and GlobalFoundries-Malta Foundation. The nonprofit used these funds for programs ranging from yoga to running a radio station.

The New York State ARC’s Trusts Recreation Grant provided Saratoga Bridges with a $6,000 grant to support recreational opportunities for clients. The New York State ARC administers supplemental-need grants that let people who have disabilities remain in their home and community while retaining their eligibility for Medicaid-funded services.

Saratoga Bridges used its grant to pay for several programs. First, the staff hosted two dances for adults who reside in community-based homes, at home with their families or in their own apartments. Tina Lomaestro, coordinator of at-home services, organized these dances.

Saratoga Bridges also offered a children’s yoga program, in which six children and their parents participated. Saratoga Bridges’ occupational therapy assistant, Wendy Ashe, who’s a certified yoga instructor, facilitated the six-week session. Ashe is certified in yoga for the special child.

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Adults and children enjoyed a third program, autism movement therapy (AMT). Saratoga Bridges’ speech and language therapist Diane Graviano and service coordinator Kristy Cox held a six-week AMT program for children ages 8-12 in the fall with 10 children. The instructors provided the same program for adults who attend one of their day services and used a local gym to integrate AMT in the community.

During a school vacation, Graviano and Cox also offered a new activity for children with special needs. These 11 children had two days of enjoyable activities that included making their own art, taught by Lena Benvenuto, art coordinator. Several adults from the day services joined in on the fun by assisting the children with their art projects.

Saratoga Bridges received a $1,500 grant from the Saratoga Casino and Raceway Foundation to fund its Family Reimbursement Program. This financial assistance has been in existence since 1990. Funds have made it possible for families who care at home for a loved one with a developmental disability to obtain a cash subsidy to assist with expenses not covered by Medicaid reimbursement or other private insurance.

Families submit requests — predominately for children 2-21 years old with the majority under the age of 12 — to buy items or services including clothing, applied behavior analysis therapy, clinical therapies and therapeutic equipment, among many other items.

A committee of family members and professionals from other human service organizations volunteers to meet quarterly to review, discuss and prioritize each request, with Saratoga Bridges acting as the oversight agency to assure that due diligence is conducted and achieved.

The GlobalFoundries-Malta Foundation gave Saratoga Bridges a $6,423 grant to buy equipment for its new radio station, WSBR.

Kurt Freeman, Saratoga Bridges implementation and information specialist, conceptualized and brought the idea of establishing a radio station to the agency after reading an article in the New York Times in April 2013. That story featured Lifestyles for the Disabled, an organization similar to Saratoga Bridges, which is letting people who do not seem like naturals become radio personalities.

Since then, Freeman has energized and excited participants and other staff members to meet twice a week to discuss program ideas and learn segment design, public speaking, interview planning, editing and other tech tools. The individuals record brief talk-show segments and post them online as podcasts on wsbr.saratogabridges.org. As the radio team has varied abilities, staff members are incorporating assistive technology to let people who have limited speech, literacy issues or other barriers participate.

WSBR is giving the individuals a voice in the community. They are becoming less marginalized and more active self-advocates. Ultimately, the agency hopes WSBR can dramatically enhance and transform clients’ lives by supporting the mission of enhancing their dignity. Some of the many benefits include being as productive and independent as possible, developing self-respect and building confidence. Clients also improve self-esteem, learn tangible and practical skills, become another public face of the agency and act as role models to their peers.